Join Farida and Munira on their remarkable journey as they strive to prove themselves in the male-dominated world of finance. These extraordinary women succeed at the Bank of Tomorrow despite all odds as they push through difficulties that arise both within and outside work. If you’re looking for an inspiring story full of courage and tenacity, read our comprehensive summary detailing the entire first season of The Exchange!
Plot Synopsis
Farida’s ex-husband is acting like a typical jerk after the couple split up; he’s stopped paying the private school tuition he had always paid for their daughter. Meanwhile, Farida is forced to attend a charity event, where she gets into an unintentional bidding war with her cousin Munira and ends up paying a high sum for an item.
There’s never been any change in their dynamic; they’ve always been at each other’s throats. However, this time, Farida comes out on the losing end, with no funds left to pay for her daughter’s prolonged education at the British school or splurge on antiquities for a good cause.
Farida eventually follows in Munira’s footsteps and works as a clerical assistant in the stock market, just like Munira. Farida and Munira are the only women trading for Bank of Tomorrow in a stock market dominated by men.
Professional traders work diligently to be respected and recognized for their intelligence, education, and experience in the market. They must prove they are worthy of being a trader by investing long hours demonstrating proficiency with mathematics and predicting economic trends.
As Farida navigates her career and family life, she encounters an additional layer of complexity when her daughter Nujud enters adolescence. Unfortunately, the public school Nujud attends does not react kindly to this transition, providing a platform for Farida’s husband to gain favour with their daughter. Meanwhile, Munira is faced with her tribulations as she strives towards achieving success.
Despite facing prejudice and misogyny, the two women push through and establish their worth by outworking the men. The manager of the Bank of Tomorrow, Saud, has a brief romance with Munira, but he soon becomes consumed by his need for money and the extreme risks he is willing to take to obtain it.
The worst comes to pass when global financial markets crash, and Farida and Munira must help their fellow traders salvage the situation as best they can. Farida makes a split-second call amid the unrest that saves Bank of Tomorrow, leading to promotions for both her and her colleague, Munira.
In the meantime, Farida’s family life and financial independence improve, while Munira’s perseverance pays off, and she is freed from an abusive partner.
The Exchange Ending Explained In Detail
Does Omar Eventually End Up With Farida?
The Exchange Season One culminates with Omar returning on his word and not honouring the agreement to pay Jude’s tuition fees, despite parting ways with Farida at the start of the series. This creates a lot of difficulty for Farida as she struggles to figure out how to move forward.
After Farida continued to pressure him, Jude steadfastly refused to pay the tuition and declared that her father was also indebted to him. Consequently, she had no choice but to switch his education from British School back down to a regular public school.
At Jude’s new school, she faces many challenges, including bullying from other girls who pick on her because of her wealth. Her grandfather tries to help, but it doesn’t work out. In the meantime, she and her mother have a deteriorating relationship, with tensions rising over time.
Despite the odds, Jude and her father are reconnecting through their relationship. To reclaim Farida’s affection, Omar proposes a deal: if Farida resigns from her job in finance, he will financially provide for Jude’s prestigious British School tuition out of his pocket.
Despite Farida’s adversity at work, she grows and improves due to her experiences. At the end of the first season of The Exchange, Farida decides that she values her independence and career more than her relationship with Omar.
She turns down his offer and conditions, rising to a prominent position on the Bank of Tomorrow’s board and earning enough to put her kid through a better school.
What Happens To The Relationship Between Munira And Saud?
After Munira and Saud first interacted, their relationship grew increasingly strained. Fortunately for Munira, though, Saud proved to be a proficient instructor; he passed on several pertinent trading lessons she absorbed quickly and applied efficiently.
Over time, though, his counsel devolves into the same aggressive, predatory spiel about taking chances to win money and beat the competition. In the meantime, he becomes very demanding of Munira.
Behind her back, he approaches her father and asks for his daughter’s hand in marriage. He becomes increasingly angry and insistent when she tries to buy herself more time to consider her response to Saud’s question.
As The Exchange’s life ends, his gambling addiction sadly steals the show. His deceit is further exposed when Munira discovers he was telling others they were engaged despite them having never gotten close to that point. This prompts a heated exchange between the two right before his ultimate demise.
Saud suffers a heart attack and is hospitalized due to the stock market fall, which affects everyone. Eventually, he decides to step down from his role as manager of Bank of Tomorrow, and Munira is promoted to take his place.